The present invention relates to marine vessels, and more particularly to a vessel provided with collision protection means installed directly on the hull of the vessel.
Transportation of petroleum products and other environmentally sensitive material by vessels (self propelled tankers and/or towed barges) periodically results in pollution due to accidents. The newly enacted Oil Pollution Law seeks to improve resistance of vessels to spillage resulting from collision or grounding of tank vessels. The new law requires that all U.S. craft have double bottoms and sides. These type of vessels are traditionally termed to have double hulls, since they provide empty spaces between the oil tanks and the vessel sides and bottom. In a typical large capacity vessel, the width of empty spaces is about two meters. It is acknowledged that provision of the double hulls can effectively protect against minor impacts, but will be ineffective in the case of impacts of a more serious nature.
During such impacts, a ship carrying petroleum or other sensitive cargo is frequently struck in its side by another vessel's bow. The striking vessel's bow penetrates the other vessel's side until the kinetic energy of the striking vessel is absorbed. The stuck vessel absorbs collision energy by its structure which is destroyed in the process. The exterior shell of the ship offers little resistance and most of the collision energy is absorbed by destroying areas of horizontal plating, such as decks and double bottoms. The collision can even result in a permanent damage to the ship to the point where the ship could break in two parts.
The present invention contemplates elimination of the drawbacks associated with prior art ship constructions and provision of a collision guard carried by the vessel hull so as to minimize the possible damage to the ship's structure.